Be safe and have a blast July Fourth

July 3, 2007

Frontiersman Editorial

Fire up the grill, untangle that fishing line and get a curb-side seat for tomorrow's Independence Day Parade. It's the Fourth of July.

With seasonally perfect temperatures and hours more daylight than any other place in the United States, Alaskans and those in the Mat-Su Valley have a unique opportunity to celebrate the Fourth like nobody else. Long family barbecues and lazy fishing trips set against our magnificent wilderness backdrop can create an almost Rockwellian atmosphere to mark the 231st Independence Day (the first was July 4, 1777).

What's not Rockwellian is the sometimes tragic consequences of too much celebration. More travel across the Valley, along with more tourists and the propensity to loosen the beer keg a little early on a holiday, can make our roadways primed for their own grisly fireworks on the Fourth.

Have fun, but remember that alcohol and motor vehicles don't mix. This includes four-wheelers, boats and personal aircraft.

Out and about, be careful of those visiting the Valley in their RVs and homes away from home. Be patient, there's plenty of daylight and time to pass. Be aware of drivers turning left off our busy highways.

While our local firefighters report they can't remember the last time they responded to a fireworks-related fire on the Fourth of July, it only takes one errant spark. Fireworks are illegal in the Mat-Su Borough, except for Houston.

Enjoy your fabulous Fourth of July! Watch the annual Wasilla Independence Day Celebration fireworks display today beginning at about 11:30 p.m. at Iditapark on Nelson Avenue.

Then join your neighbors at the annual Independence Day Parade beginning at 11 a.m. at the Valley Performing Arts Center on Tommy Moe Drive. The parade route takes participants past the review stand on East Herning in front of Teeland's Mercantile, followed by a picnic at Iditapark.

Be safe and have a blast this July 4.